Beehive - Often
used by the Freemasons. It symbolizes faith, education, and
domestic virtues.

B.P.O.E. - Benevolent
Protective Order of Elks, a fraternal organization.

BRC - Brotherhood of Railway
Clerks

BRT
with a Train - Brotherhood
of Railroad Trainmen. A fraternal organization for men who worked
as trainmen.

Buddhist

Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Christian Reformed Church

Christian Church

Church Of World Messianity

Clasped Hands - Farewell
to earthly existence. Also unity.

Cohanim Hands - Hands
with thumbs and sometimes forefingers joined. This is a Jewish
symbol that represents members of the priestly tribe of Aaron.

Colonial Daughters
of the 17th Century - An
organization for women who descended from an ancestor who rendered
service in the Colonial wars from 1607 to 1699.

Community Of Christ

Crown
and Cross - Symbolizes
both victory and Christianity. Also, this symbol sometimes denotes
a member of the York Rite Masons.

CSA - Confederate States of America

Daughters of the American Revolution - founded in 1890

Daughters of the Confederacy -

Daughters of Rebekah

Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War - May 30, 1885

Daughters of the Nile

Daughters of Pocahontas

Daughters of the Republic of Texas

Degree of Pocahontas - organized in 1885, it was taken from the
celebrated character in Native American history, Pocahontas, whose
brief life presents a touching and beautiful picture of grace,
beauty, and virtue as well as constant friendship to the palefaces. The
Degree of Pocahontas (D of P) patterns itself after the virtues
of this Native American princess — those virtues of teaching
kindness, love, charity, and loyalty to one's nation. The
Degree of Pocahontas is the Women's Auxiliary of The Improved Order
of Red Men.

Eye - Usually
found in a triangle or within a sunburst. This is a masonic
symbol.

F of A - Foresters
of America, a fraternal society founded in 1895 that provided
life and disability insurance to its members. Usually contains
an eagle, crossed flags, and a deer. Their motto was Liberty,
Unity, Benevolence, and Concord.

F.A.T.A.L. - Motto
of the Order of the Eastern Star; stands for "Fairest Among
Thousands, Altogether Lovely."

Father Time and
the Weeping Virgin - Masonic
carving. The carving consists of a weeping virgin holding a sprig
of acacia in one hand, and an urn in the other hand. A broken column
is in front of her. Father Time is behind her, attempting to untangle
the ringlets of her hair. It symbolizes that time, patience, and
perseverance will accomplish all things.

FNDOZBTKC/AMRY
- designation that was given only to females of Mason members,
popular during the mid-1800's to early 1900's in southern states. The
designation of FNDOZBTKC/AMRY, was a degree conferred in the
US on wives, daughters, sisters, or mothers of Masons to secure
them, by investing them in a peculiar mode of recognition, the
aid and assistance of the fraternity, along with a secret sign
of recognition. The mark was AMRY
encircled by FNDOZBTKC. As written
in John 12:15 - Fear Not Daughter Of Zion Behold The King Cometh, and AMRY being
an anagram of Mary

F.O.E. - Symbol
of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, a fraternal organization.

Grand Army of the Republic - fraternal organization of honorably
discharged Union Civil War veterans. Some of their rituals were
based on Freemasonry. The GAR was founded in 1866 by Benjamin Franklin
Stephenson in Decatur, Illinois. By 1890 they had 409,000 members.
The GAR was involved in charity and politics, and they lobbied
for soldiers homes and pensions. They also began the tradition
of Decoration Day on May 30th, now called Memorial Day.

Greek Cross

Hand Holding Heart - symbol
used by the I.O.O.F (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) and
Masons, both fraternal organizations. It symbolizes charity.

Hand Pointing Up - Hand
pointing up to heaven.Hand Pointing Down - The
hand of God descending from heaven.

Hand writing - Writing
names in the book of life. Can also be found on writers' graves.

Hebrew Words - Hebrew
words for "Here Lies."

Hindu

H.T.W.S.S.T.K.S. = Hiram The Widow's Son Sent To King Solomon, which
is ...the Mark Master Degree of Royal Arch Masonry. The
Mark Master Degree is believed to have originated as a ceremony
of
registering a craftsman's mark in those years distinguished by operative craft
masons and their temple building. It was later developed into a
full-fledged degree by the Masonic fraternity as we know it today, Some
scholars say it was the earliest degree and may predate all others by many
years. It is highly regarded by students in all Masonry, teaching lessons
that have proven of value in all walks of life. Some Grand Lodges place so
high an eminence on the Mark Master Degree, that they confine it to the
jurisdiction of a separate grand body, the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters.

Humanist Emblem of Spirit

Improved Order of Red Men - founded in 1765 and was originally
known as the Sons of Liberty. These patriots concealed their identities
and worked "underground" to help establish freedom and
liberty in the Early Colonies. They patterned themselves after
the great Iroquois Indian nation and its democratic governing body.

Independent Order of Odd Fellows - also known as "The
Three Link Fraternity" which stands for Friendship, Love
and Truth. Many times the FLT will be found on a flag holder
or on the tombstone with each letter in a link of a chain. This
is actually the described logo for the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows (I.O.O.F.). Probably the only fraternal organization
that offers a death benefit to its members and actually has developed,
supported, and maintained their own cemeteries and homes for
the aged.

Crooks - Shepherds
crooks, usually found on graves of Independent Order of Odd Fellows members.
Symbolizes the opening of earth to the heavens.

International Order of Odd Fellows

International Order of Rainbow Girls

Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii

Jr. OUAM - The
Junior Order of United American Mechanics. It is the oldest
fraternal order that is still active in the United States.
It was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1853.

Knights of Columbus - Oct. 2, 1881, a small group of men met
in the basement of St. Mary’s Church on Hillhouse Avenue
in New Haven, Connecticut. Called together by their 29-year-old
parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, these men formed a fraternal
society that would one day become the world’s largest Catholic
family fraternal service organization. These men were bound
together by the ideal of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of
the Americas, the one whose hand brought Christianity to the New
World. Their efforts came to fruition with the incorporation of
the Knights of Columbus on March 29, 1882.

Knights of Pythias - an international, non-sectarian
fraternal order, established in 1864 in Washington, DC, by Justus H.
Rathbone and was the first fraternal order to be chartered by an Act of
Congress.

Konko-Kyo Faith

KOTM - Symbol
of the Knights of the Maccabees, a fraternal organization.

L A to B R T

Laborers Joiners Club

Amputated Limb

Lutheran Cross

Lyre - Often
have a broken string, symbolizing the end of life. Lyres are
usually found on the graves of musicians.

Masonic Lodge -

Menorah - A
menorah, which is a candelabra with seven branches, is a Jewish
symbol. It usually marks the grave of a righteous woman.

Monstrat Viam - Sunburst
with star and cross, Monstrat Viam.Symbol
of the First Corps of Cadets, now the 211th Military Police Battalion. "Monstrat
Viam" is Latin for "It Points the Way."

Moon - Rebirth.
A crescent moon and star symbol like the one pictured here
is also a symbol of Islam.

Moon with Seven
Stars, the letter "R", and a dove - Symbolizes
a member of the Daughters of Rebekah, the female auxiliary of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mormon (Angel Moroni)

Mortar and Pestle - Usually
found on the gravestones of pharmacists, and sometimes doctors.

Music - Usually
found on the graves of musicians. The music can be from a song
the musician wrote, or it could be the deceased person's favorite
hymn.

Muslim

Native American Church of North America

OES - Order
of the Eastern Star, a fraternal organization for women.

Order of Ahepa

Order of the Sons
of Temperance - Triangle
with a star in the center - a
fraternal organization that promoted the temperance movement (abstinence
and prohibition of alcohol). Usually seen with their motto: Love,
Purity, Fidelity.

O.S.C. - Order
of Scottish Clans. A fraternal and benevolent society that
was founded in 1878. They provided life and disability insurance
to Scottish immigrants and their descendants. They became a
part of the Independent Order of Foresters in 1971.

P.A.P. - Loyal
Order of Moose (LOOM), a fraternal organization. P.A.P. stands
for their motto: Purity, Aid, and Progress.

Past Master of Eastern Star

Pitcher - Often
found on graves of prohibitionists. Represents virtue and control.

If it is found on a Jewish grave, it symbolizes a Levite, a
person who was responsible for cleaning the hands of the Temple
Priest.

P of H - Patrons
of Husbandry, also known as the National Grange. An agricultural
organization.

PLEF - Symbol
of the Pythian Sisters, a fraternal organization for women.
The letters PLEF stand for their motto: Purity, Love, Equality,
and Fidelity.

Presbyterian Church of USA

Presbyterian Cross

Professional Engineer

Royal Arch Masons
(RAM) - Triangle
with three T's joined at base

Rebekahs - Odd Fellowship became the 1st national fraternity
to include both men and women when it adopted the beautiful Rebekah
Degree on September 20, 1851. This degree is based on the teachings
found in the Holy Bible, and was written by the Honorable Schuyler
Colfax who was Vice President of the United States during the period
1868-1873. Odd Fellows and Rebekahs were also the first fraternal
organization to establish homes for our senior members and for
orphaned children.

Royal Neighbors - In November 1888, Marie L. Kirkland put
a notice in her local paper, the Daily Nonpareil, of Council
Bluffs, IA, to call a meeting of the wives of Modern Woodmen
of America members to arrange a social. Nine women, including
Mrs. Kirkland, met and formed a "ladies auxiliary" to Modern Woodmen
Camp 171. However, within a year the group reorganized as
a social organization, with a constitution, rituals and articles
of incorporation, and renamed itself Royal Neighbors of America.

Russian Orthodox Cross

Saint Aldemar Commandery - A
Knights Templar organization. Masonic.

Scales - Often
marks the grave of someone who was in the legal profession.
Sometimes seen with a statue of Saint Michael, which symbolizes
his duty of weighing the souls of the departed.

Seicho-No-Ie

Serbian Orthodox Cross

Shriners - Sword,
Crescent, and Sphinx - Symbol
of the Shriners (The Imperial Council of the Ancient Arabic Order
of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine). The group was founded in 1872,
and is only open to 32nd Degree Master Masons and Knights Templar
members.

Sikh

Snake wrapped on
a cross with "In Hoc Signo Vinces" - The
Masonic brazen serpent, a symbol of the 25th Degree Masons.

Soka Gakkai International - USA

Sons of the American Revolution - organized on April 30, l889

Sons of Confederate Veterans -

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War - creation of the Grand
Army of the Republic which was formed in 1866. Wanting to
pass on its heritage, the GAR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania created
a Corps of Cadets in 1878 which later became the Sons of Veterans
of the United States of America. The SV units functioned much
as National Guard units and actually served along with state militia
during the Spanish American War. In 1904, the SV elected to become
a patriotic education society and in 1925 changed its name to Sons
of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Star, Cross, and
Shepherd's Crook - Symbol
of the White Shrine of Jerusalem. Often seen with the phrase "In
Hoc Signo Spes Mea," which translates to "In this Sign (the Cross)
is my hope." A society for women who are related to (through birth,
marriage, or legal adoption) to a Master Mason in good standing.
Founded in 1894.

Star of David - also known as the Magen David or Shield of David
expresses a spectrum of meanings from the spiritual to the practical.
It seems to interlock two triangles forming a strong hexagonal
structure. Some view the two opposing triangles politically: representing
the unceasing conflict within and surrounding the Jewish nation.
Others perceive it to represent the sacred union of opposite energies
or Yin Yang.

WBA - Woman's
Benefit Association, a club for women that provided life insurance.
Part of the Order of the Maccabees.

Wicca-Pentacle

Woodmen of the World (WOW) - one of the first fraternal benefit
societies in the United States. Founded in Omaha, Nebraska, on
June 6, 1890, by Joseph Cullen Root. You will find many decorative
WOW headstones throughout Texas.

Woodmen of the World (WOW) - Women

W.R.C. - Women's
Relief Corp. It is the female auxilary for the Grand Army of
the Republic.

XP, overlapped - The
Chi-Rho, one of the oldest Christian symbols. XP are the first
two letters of the Greek word for Christ.

You
may notice a message beside the county listing indicating it is available
for adoption. This means that we are looking for someone to take
it over on a permanent basis. If you would like to adopt a web page
for one of these counties, please contact Shirley
Cullum , State Coordinator. The assistant state coordinators
are Elaine
Martinand Jane
Keppler.